Business Solutions Partnership
Helping Your Company Stay Strong in all Business Cycles!
• Central Florida Community College Institute for Corporate Training,
• CLM Workforce Connection, and the
• Ocala/Marion County Economic Development Corporation
The dynamic partnership of these organizations is here to help you think and stay strong through
all cycles of your company. Positive thoughts begin to come when the partners provide...
Answers to Three Questions That Keep You Up at Night!
1. “Where will I find the RIGHT talent, facilities and systems to PROPEL this
company forward?”
American Spaceframe Fabricators International (ASFI) manufactures tensioned fabric structures that allow natural light in and are used in multi-purpose commercial and government applications. Compared to traditional construction, these structures expedite the building process at a fraction of the cost. ASFI's manufacturing facility, formerly located in Crystal River, needed room to expand because of the addition of much larger projects. They were invited to explore the possibility of moving to Ocala and have received a warm welcome.
"We have been very impressed with the services and advocacy shown by Pete Tesch and Ron Thibodeaux at the EDC and are appreciative to have received a grant through the city’s Economic Improvement Fund. Ron was a big help and walked us through that process,” said ASFI's CFO, Tom Leahy.
Leahy also commented on the partnership aspect that makes locating to Ocala/Marion County so unique. “This is a growing community with beautiful horse farms, but there is also a strong focus on business development. In addition to the EDC, the folks at the One Stop (CLM Workforce Connection) have been great, and Central Florida Community College is an excellent resource. We will be doing some training with them soon. The welcome mat has really been put out for us in Ocala and Marion County.” How may the Partners help your company propel with growth?
2. “Am I doing enough to PERSIST in this cycle, or could it slip away?”
There’s not much that makes a manufacturer lose sleep more than the thought of shutting down a production line due to lack of workers. Signature Brands has been a manufacturer of sweet confections for such strong national brands as Betty Crocker and Cake Mate for more than 50 years. The company has enjoyed consistent growth and remains one of the community’s major employers.
President and CEO Jim Schneider faced a challenge. As orders were coming in and products needed to be on the shelves, a harsh reality hit. There were not enough maintenance technicians to keep the vital equipment running at peak performance levels. There were applicants looking for work and current employees who wanted to advance into those positions. However, they lacked the skills necessary to do the job. Schneider and his team knew who to call.
“Pat Reddish, our Director of Human Resources, had worked with the college on training programs before,” said Schneider. “She knew there was a chance they could help us out and in turn, provide a great opportunity for under-employed workers.”
Reddish contacted Donnah Courtice with Business Solutions Partner Central Florida Community College Corporate Training. There was no program to train manufacturing maintenance technicians. The fact that a program does not exist, doesn ’t stop the Business Solutions Partnership from meeting the needs of an employer. Courtice called other manufacturers and found this issue was not isolated to just Signature Brands. With a greater demand, Courtice was able to create a program and begin the search for funding. The EDC tapped their resources at Enterprise Florida to help the college secure an Incumbent Worker Consortium Training Grant.
In a short period more than 20 workers were trained by CFCC. A second Maintenance Technicians Training program was conducted with funding through a grant obtained by partner CLM Workforce Connection where nearly 20 more participants increased their skills for local employers. The Business Solutions Partnership was presented with a challenge and a solution was found. How may the Partners help your company meet its training needs?
3. “How can I PROTECT my company and the people who helped build it?”
When CEOs realize downsizing is necessary to protect the company, they lose sleep as the faces of the good employees who will affected flash through their minds. Melissa Malone had been with her employer nearly seven years when the downturn of the residential construction market made it necessary to decrease the workforce. During the process of that downsizing Melissa’s position was eliminated.
Melissa's employer showed concern about her and other employees who needed outplacement services. Through the efforts of CLM Workforce Connection working with local employers looking for talent, Melissa was placed with another company in a higher-level position.
“I never thought that the elimination of my position would provide such a great opportunity,” said Melissa. “I loved my job and the company I worked for and as difficult as it was for me to see positions eliminated within the organization, I am grateful to have the opportunity to advance in my career with a company such as Class 1, Inc. I am so glad there is a partnership in our community that is looking out for people's best interests, as well as those of the corporations.”
Melissa Malone is an example of a positive result coming out of a difficult challenge. How may the Partners help you protect your company and the people who helped build it?
Carla DeFrank Has Experienced the Power of the Partnership
Through ALL Business Cycles
Carla DeFrank has been the Human Resource leader at Masco Builder Cabinet Group (Merillat) since the company expanded to Ocala almost eight years ago. The partnership has provided support and services to this organization through an entire business cycle.
PROPEL: “The EDC worked the initial project to recruit the company to Ocala. Pete and his team did a great job assisting the executive leadership at Merillat with the process and working with state and local officials to secure available funding and property. CLM worked diligently to recruit the talent that was needed to get the facility prepared for its initial new hires, while CFCC coordinated the training.”
PERSIST: “The partnership again stepped up when it was time for expansion and growing our employee population. This required cross-training, enhancement of front line leadership skills, change management and Six Sigma Facilitator Training. We were able to take good team members and create great ones through some phenomenal training, most of which was customized to meet our specific needs. This partnership made it happen through the sourcing of funds, coursework and trainers.”
PROTECT: “The economic downturn in residential construction has been difficult. We’re committed to this community and the partnership has assisted us in two important ways. First, when it was apparent downsizing was necessary the partnership stood by us with outplacement activities and has placed many of our great team members with other local employers. As a result, other companies in the community are now benefiting from the investment that was made at Merillat. Second, during this slow time we are utilizing the partnership to help us move other employees to the next level through training and other activities. We will be an even stronger and more effective manufacturer when the cycle comes back again.”
What cycle is your company in and how may the Partners help you?
Click here to view Our Partnership Brochure.
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